The Groundtruth from a combat veteran, backed up by independent research and historical study. Information beneficial to the Troops. And a touch of objective politics, as it relates to the subjects at hand.

This site is unabashedly Pro-American and Pro-Military however none of the views expressed here are to be considered as endorsed, proposed, or supported by the Department of Defense or any other Agency, government, public, or private. http://waronterrornews.typepad.com/

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SSgt Workman is featured in the Hall of Heroes and a book review on this from Marine Till Death that read it as it was written: http://waronterrornews.typepad.com/home/2008/12/shadow-of-the-sword-by-jeremiah-workman-w-john-bruning.html

http://waronterrornews.typepad.com/home/2008/12/ssgt-jeremiah-workman-navy-cross-usmc-iraq-marion-oh.html and links to prior articles.

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SpecOps

Friday, July 26, 2013

MCLEAN, Va., July 24, 2013 - Two fallen Navy petty officers became the 18th and 19th recipients of the National Intelligence Medal for Valor in a July 22 ceremony at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence here.

Director of National Intelligence James R. Clapper, left, posthumously awards the National Intelligence Medal for Valor to Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Jared Day's parents, Karolyn Kimball Day and Sam Day of Salt Lake City, in a ceremony at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence in McLean, Va., July 22, 2013. Day, a tactical communicator, and Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Michael Strange, an information operations operator, were assigned within Naval special operations when they were killed Aug. 6, 2011, in Afghanistan in a helicopter crash following a rocket-propelled grenade attack. DOD photo by Terri Moon Cronk(Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.

The families of Petty Officers 1st Class Jared W. Day and Michael J. Strange received the posthumous awards.

Calling Day and Strange "two young heroes who gave the last full measure of devotion to their country," Director of National Intelligence James R. Clapper presented the medals in front of a standing-room-only gathering of families, friends and shipmates.

Day, a few days shy of his 29th birthday when he died, was a tactical communicator, and Strange, 25, was an information operations operator. Both were assigned within Naval special operations when they responded Aug. 6, 2011, to enemy forces escaping from a nearby raid in an enemy-contested valley of eastern Afghanistan, the award citations read.

Knowing the valley served as an enemy safe haven with no sustained coalition force presence, and knowing that their mission was to interdict and ambush an armed enemy force, Day and Strange volunteered to pursue an enemy known to have attacked and killed coalition forces with plans for future attacks, the citations said.

Both "selflessly chose to interdict the fleeing enemy when [they] boarded the helicopter with [their] teammates," the citations said, but the aggressive mission ended tragically when their helicopter was struck by a rocket-propelled grenade, causing it to crash and killing all on board.

Twenty-eight other Americans, eight Afghans and a military working dog were en route to assist an Army Ranger unit engaged in a firefight with Taliban forces west of the Afghan capital of Kabul, Clapper added.

Wednesday, June 05, 2013

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Warrant Officer Sean W. Mullen, 39, of Dover, Del., died June 2, in Lashkar Gah, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Campbell, Ky

"He which hath no stomach to this fight let him depart. But we in it shall be remembered. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers!! For he today, that sheds his blood with me, shall always be my brother.” (W.Shakespeare) Rest in peace my Brothers, you have not been forgotten.

Tuesday, May 07, 2013

The Department of Defense announced today the death of two Marines who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

They died May 4, while conducting combat operations in Farah province, Afghanistan. They were both assigned to 2nd Marine Special Operations Battalion, Camp Lejeune, N.C. This incident is under investigation, as they were killed by an Afghan soldier.

Killed were:

Staff Sgt. Eric D. Christian, 39, of Warwick, N.Y., and

Cpl. David M. Sonka, 23, of Parker, Colo.

"He which hath no stomach to this fight let him depart. But we in it shall be remembered. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers!! For he today, that sheds his blood with me, shall always be my brother.” (W.Shakespeare) Rest in peace my Brothers, you have not been forgotten.

Saturday, May 04, 2013

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Staff Sgt. Michael H. Simpson, 30, of San Antonio, Texas, died May 1 in Landstuhl, Germany, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit on April 27, with an improvised explosive device in Arian, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne), Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.

"He which hath no stomach to this fight let him depart. But we in it shall be remembered. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers!! For he today, that sheds his blood with me, shall always be my brother.” (W.Shakespeare) Rest in peace my Brothers, you have not been forgotten.

Thursday, May 02, 2013

These words are but a part of the Special Forces creed that SGT Timothy Padgett, SF Medic lived by. May 8, 2007 SGT Padgett gave his life for his country, leaving behind a daughter, his mother, father, brother and sister.

On May 27, 2013 teammates of SGT Padgett will run in his honor at the 28th Annual Gate to Gate Memorial Day 4.4 mile run at Eglin AFB.

SGT Timothy Padgett's military unit have gone the extra mile by supporting his family since his death.

"I will never leave a fallen comrade."

Keith Batcheldor has taken that a step further!

He is determined to raise $10,000 for the Special Operations Warrior Foundation (SOWF).

1. If you are serving in the U.S. military special operations community, and you lose your life in an operational mission or training accident, the Warrior Foundation will ensure your children receive a full college education, including tuition, books, fees, room & board, computer and printer.

2. If you are severely wounded while deployed, the Warrior Foundation will provide immediate financial assistance and support to ensure your loved ones can be at your bedside during your recovery. The SOWF provides a $3,000 stipend to help offset unexpected expenses.

SGT Padgett has a daughter. Sadly, she will never have to worry about affording a college education. Perhaps now I have a better understanding of why Keith has chosen to fundraise for thisparticular charitable organization.

For nearly 14 years Keith Batcheldor has called the Army home. I asked if he would explain the type of work he does.

"I am a member of a Special Forces Underwater Operations Detachment. It is composed of 12 green berets that have the additional skill set of being a combat diver. (One in three students will not complete the course)

It is one of the most physically and mentally demanding courses in the military, and sets the team members apart from the other green berets in the unit.

In addition, each team member has a occupational specialty, mine being demolitions."

SGT Padgett served as an SF Medic . He served alongside Keith and other members of a Special Forces Underwater Operations Detachment.

Before SGT Padgett joined the military he was a former firefighter and paramedic with the South Walton Fire District in Florida.

" I serve with the
memory of those who have gone before me.

I pledge to uphold the honor and
integrity of their legacy in all that I am - in all that I do." SF Creed

Keith has put together a 4 man team of runners who have been training for this 4.4 mile run while deployed. You can see the photos of their "gym" that was available to them while deployed.

Keith had hoped to see the fundraiser at $5,000.....they are getting close.......before his unit comes home.

That's right, they are currently deployed (just heard they are back stateside now!). In order to train for the race, they had to carve time out of their free time between missions, sleep, downtime and a multitude of other responsibilities they were dealing with.

In order to bring home the trophy, this is how Keith explained what they need to do.

"In order for the team to win, the team has to have the lowest average time. We do not need to finish as a group. There are several professional runners that will undoubtedly beat us, but the team event is only open to the military units. We feel based on previous race times, we will individually place in the top 50 out of 2000 runners."

The 4.4 mile run will be done at close to a sprint for most of the runners! Keith can already do one 5 minute mile. They are hoping to be around 5:30 per mile.

"We trained as much as we could, but setting a daily routine is almost impossible. We utilized the free time we have to get the most efficient workout possible because we may miss 2-3 days at a time. Even though we are not “training” every day, walking and running around with at least 80 lbs of body armor and military gear on your shoulders helps keep us in shape."

Was your camp located high up in the mountains, making elevation an issue when it came to training? If so, do you think that might give you an advantage when you run the race?

"We wish we would have had the elevation to use to our advantage, but no, we were training at sea level."

Proper diet and a good routine are essential.

"Well, first and foremost, we try and keep a clean diet! We do a lot of interval runs on the treadmills (we do a quarter mile sprint followed by a recover ¼ mile jog), stationary bike riding, and rowing. In addition, we maintain a weight lifting regimen that consists of high reps and low weight.

Other than that, we do a lot of circuit training that keeps the heart rate up and builds endurance. The weather has climbed into the 90s the last two weeks so we have been training out in the heat to add a little more difficulty.

We have not competed as a team before in the event due to other military obligations. Several of us have competed in races, but never as a team. We train together in garrison, whetherwe are biking, swimming, running, or lifting weights. We are confident is each other’s abilities as some of us have trained and worked together for the last seven years."

Keith and his team are running, first and foremost to honor SGT Timothy Padgett and secondly to fundraise and contribute to SOWF in SGT Padgett's honor!

With your help, they can still bring in enough donations to hit the $10,000 mark. These warriors do things that most would deem impossible. There is no fanfare over their accomplishments. Rarely if ever, do you hear about their work. You might read about a teammate who has been critically injured or when they are killed in combat. They quietly go about doing what needs to be done and then they come home.

They ARE counting on YOU and ME and others just like us to help them out with a donation. It can be as small as $1 or a $1,000. Each dollar given is important. You can remain totally anonymous or not, as you choose. Help spread the word about this fundraiser! Help Keith and his teammates to honor SGT Timothy "Hee Haw" Padgett.

Tim was a country boy. He had a great southern drawl and we nicknamed him “Hee Haw”. He embraced the nickname and always had a smile on his face. He lived in the country and had so many backwoods stories that he loved to tell.

One time we were training in Nevada during the winter time and the temperature was right above freezing. We took advantage of some down time and took out our ATVs for some cross country riding. We were racing around and he saw a large puddle that he wanted to drive through. We thought he was going to drive right through it, and maybe worst case, he would get wet.

He took off as fast as he could and got about half way through the puddle before it got really deep. The ATV bogged down and flipped him over the handlebars into the puddle. The ATV was completely submerged under water. Tim was drenched from head to toe and covered in mud.

We ran over to see if he was OK. He was in the mud laughing hysterically. We were upset because we spent an hour in the cold water pulling the ATV out.

Tim just stood there laughing and shivering because he was so cold. We finally got him out and headed back for the night. That is how we always remember Tim.

He was a positive person, could make the best of a bad situation, and always had a smile on his face no matter how bad the situation.

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Of all the MOS's (jobs) in the military, the one I hold in greatest respect is probably an 18D, Special Forces Medic. Those that graduate the SF Medic's course are capable of amazing feats of life saving trauma treatment. As (more than) one person has described the role of the SF Medic:

"They can kill you and then save your life."

They don't wear the medic red cross, because theirs is a combat mission, with the job of keeping everybody alive and healthy. On the range, you probably wouldn't know the difference between the 18D and his teammates, and ODA's (Operational Detachment Alpha) are the epitome of a team. The things they can do aren't a matter of just physical brawn. It's intelligence, common sense, hard work, constant practice, dedication beyond perfection, but above and beyond all is teamwork.

So, it does not surprise me to find that team 7125, formerly known as 725, has adopted SGT Padgett's family as their own, or that they are going the extra 4.4 miles in Honor of him, and in support of the Special Operations Warrior Foundation.

I have rarely mentioned SOWF, but it is one of the most efficient Non-Profits in the Pro-Troop arena. It specializes in ensuring that the children of fallen Special Operations Troops get a college education. Funds donated to it make it to that cause at a percentage unprecedented in the Non-Profit world. In short, they are good stewards of financial donations.

Though the team is currently deployed to Afghanistan, they are training and have a goal of being 1st and raising $10,000, in the 4.4 mile run at Eglin AFB in May. They're running treadmills at a pace of 5:50 minute miles, which is frankly unreal to me, for an individual, much less a team. And they plan to cut that time down before the race, and when they aren't in the middle of place where people are shooting at them.

In fact, it wasn't the team itself that contacted me about this, but the brother of a team member, because their duties still come first, defending America, in a far off land that has taken a Brother from them.

Sunday, March 24, 2013

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Sgt. 1st Class James F. Grissom, 31, of Hayward, Calif., died March 21 at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Germany, of wounds suffered from small arms fire March 18 in Paktika Province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne), Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.

"He which hath no stomach to this fight let him depart. But we in it shall be remembered. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers!! For he today, that sheds his blood with me, shall always be my brother.” (W.Shakespeare) Rest in peace my Brothers, you have not been forgotten.

Friday, March 15, 2013

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Chief Petty Officer Christian Michael Pike, 31, of Peoria, Ariz., died March 13 in Landstuhl, Germany, as a result of combat-related injuries sustained on March 10 while conducting stability operations in Maiwand District, Afghanistan. Pike was assigned to a West Coast-based Naval Special Warfare unit.

"He which hath no stomach to this fight let him depart. But we in it shall be remembered. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers!! For he today, that sheds his blood with me, shall always be my brother.” (W.Shakespeare) Rest in peace my Brothers, you have not been forgotten.

"He which hath no stomach to this fight let him depart. But we in it shall be remembered. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers!! For he today, that sheds his blood with me, shall always be my brother.” (W.Shakespeare) Rest in peace my Brothers, you have not been forgotten.

Monday, February 25, 2013

Michael Lipin, VoA, Afghan President Hamid Karzai has ordered the removal of all U.S. special forces from an eastern province in response to allegations that those forces or their Afghan allies may have committed rights abuses against civilians.

Karzai's spokesman Aimal Faizi told reporters Sunday that a government investigation of security incidents in Wardak province found that armed men suspected of ties to U.S. Special Forces were engaged in "harassing, annoying, torturing and even murdering innocent people." He said the Afghan defense ministry has been ordered to ensure that all U.S. Special Forces are out of the province within two weeks.

"All the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan are obliged to immediately prevent the operations by all the groups under the name of Special Forces, who are going into houses of people, which results in disturbance and killing of our innocent people and bring to justice, in order to safeguard the properties and lives of people in Maidan Wardak province," Faizi said.

It is the first time the Afghan president has issued such an order against the forces of the United States, a key ally which has been helping Kabul to combat a more than decade-long Islamist insurgency by Taliban terrorists, expelled from power in Afghanistan by forces including US 5th Special Forces Group, and forces including Karzai, and those commanded by him and others.

A U.S. Forces Afghanistan spokesman said he is aware of reports about Mr. Karzai's order. Speaking to VOA by phone from Kabul, Lt. Col. Les Carroll said the U.S. military "takes all allegations of misconduct seriously" and goes to "great lengths to the determine the facts." He said U.S. officers "intend to fully discuss" the issue of alleged rights abuses with their Afghan counterparts.

The Afghan presidential statement cited two recent examples of alleged misconduct by Afghan militias in Wardak allied to U.S. Special Forces. In one incident, it said nine people disappeared during an operation by what it called a "suspicious force," while in the other, the tortured body of a student was found two days after he was "taken away at night from his home."

Karzai's office said the U.S. military denied any involvement in such cases. It said Afghan security forces will bring to justice those responsible for the abuses and urged local residents to help identify the culprits.

In an additional move, Karzai ordered the U.S.-led NATO force in Afghanistan to stop all special force operations in Wardak immediately.

NATO troops have facilities in Wardak. But Afghan government forces "already have taken a security lead" in some parts of the province as part of a NATO plan to withdraw most of its troops from the country by the end of 2014.

Taliban attacks in Wardak have declined in recent months, as is normal during the winter months.

Wardak's population is predominantly Pashtun, the same ethnic group as the Taliban, and Karzai. A VOA reporter in Islamabad says Pashtun tribal elders may be using the "improved security situation" to pressure Mr. Karzai into removing allied forces from the province.

But, insurgent attacks have continued in other parts of eastern Afghanistan, where three Afghan security personnel were killed in suicide bombings on Sunday.

In one of the day's attacks, a suicidal Islamist car bomber rammed a vehicle into the gate of an intelligence compound in the eastern city of Jalalabad. Officials said the blast killed two agents of the National Directorate of Security and wounded three others. In another attack, a suicidal Islamist car bomber struck a police checkpoint in the nearby town of Puli Alam, killing one officer. Islamist Taliban terrorists claimed responsibility for both bombings.

Authorities said security forces thwarted an additional suicide car bombing in Kabul by shooting and killing the would-be assailant. They said the incident happened near a construction site in a part of the capital housing government and foreign diplomatic offices. Terrorists had staged a large-scale attack in the area last April.

Sunday, February 03, 2013

Various news agencies are reporting that former Navy Seal Chris Kyle has been shot and killed at a gun range at Rough Creek Lodge, in Glen Rose, Texas Saturday. Another man also was killed, his name has not yet been released.

A suspect is in custody, Eddie Routh. Routh who was arrested in connection with the shooting, was driving Chris Kyle’s truck at the time he was stopped and arrested by local police in Lancaster Texas.

Several news agencies are reporting that the other person who was shot was a neighbor of Chris Kyles. They were at the gun range helping another soldier with his recovery from PTSD. The shooting occurred around 3:30pm Saturday.

Kyle had recently been interviewed about his feelings on the call for more restrictions on gun owners. “He told the website guns.com that he favored arming teachers who have been screened and trained and spoke against restrictions on gun owners.”

Chris Kyle served in Iraq, was awarded two Silver Stars, five Bronze Stars with Valor, two Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals along with one Navy and Marine Corps Commendation. He wrote a book, “American Sniper” and has a new book coming out in May called "American Gun - A History of the U.S. in Ten Firearms."

Monday, December 24, 2012

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a sailor while supporting Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan.

Cdr. Job W. Price, 42, of Pottstown, Pa., died Dec. 22 of a non-combat related injury while supporting stability operations in Uruzgan Province, Afghanistan. Price was assigned to an East Coast-based Naval Special Warfare unit in Virginia Beach, Va.

This incident is currently under investigation.

"He which hath no stomach to this fight let him depart. But we in it shall be remembered. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers!! For he today, that sheds his blood with me, shall always be my brother.” (W.Shakespeare) Rest in peace my Brothers, you have not been forgotten.

"He which hath no stomach to this fight let him depart. But we in it shall be remembered. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers!! For he today, that sheds his blood with me, shall always be my brother.” (W.Shakespeare) Rest in peace my Brothers, you have not been forgotten.

"He which hath no stomach to this fight let him depart. But we in it shall be remembered. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers!! For he today, that sheds his blood with me, shall always be my brother.” (W.Shakespeare) Rest in peace my Brothers, you have not been forgotten.

PO1 Checque sacrificed his life in the operation to save the life of Dr Joseph:

A coalition of U.S. and Afghan forces has rescued an American doctor kidnapped by the Taliban.

Dr. Dilip Joseph was rescued Saturday in an operation ordered after intelligence showed that he was in imminent danger of injury or possible death.

Dr. Joseph was abducted Wednesday outside the Afghan capital, in the Sarobi district of Kabul province.

Gen. John Allen, the top commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, said American and Afghan forces planned, rehearsed and successfully conducted the operation.

No other details of the rescue operation were immediately available. VoA.

"He which hath no stomach to this fight let him depart. But we in it shall be remembered. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers!! For he today, that sheds his blood with me, shall always be my brother.” (W.Shakespeare) Rest in peace my Brothers, you have not been forgotten.

"He which hath no stomach to this fight let him depart. But we in it shall be remembered. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers!! For he today, that sheds his blood with me, shall always be my brother.” (W.Shakespeare) Rest in peace my Brothers, you have not been forgotten.

"He which hath no stomach to this fight let him depart. But we in it shall be remembered. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers!! For he today, that sheds his blood with me, shall always be my brother.” (W.Shakespeare) Rest in peace my Brothers, you have not been forgotten.

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

They did NOT have the mission to protect the Ambassador, nor to protect the Consulate. They ran to the sound of gunfire, to protect lives, though that was NOT their mission. I point you to the site that put the evidence together.

The truth is: they heard the attack, they heard the gunfire, and despite the danger to themselves they rushed into the breach taking weapons from the frightened Libyan security officials to help protect the American Consulate, Ambassador Stevens and his embassy aide Sean Smith.

Both Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty were under no obligation to assist, protect or defend Stevens.

How many more things has this Administration lied about? Why did they lie about this? Read the full story at the link above.

Sunday, October 14, 2012

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Sgt. 1st Class Ryan J. Savard, 29, of Sierra Vista, Ariz., died Oct. 13, in Khanabad District, Afghanistan, from small arms fire while on patrol during combat operations. He was assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, U.S. Army Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, N. C.

"He which hath no stomach to this fight let him depart. But we in it shall be remembered. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers!! For he today, that sheds his blood with me, shall always be my brother.” (W.Shakespeare) Rest in peace my Brothers, you have not been forgotten.

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Sgt. Thomas R. Macpherson, 26, of Long Beach, Calif., died Oct. 12, in Andar District, Afghanistan, from small arms fire while on patrol during combat operations. He was assigned to the 2d Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, U.S. Army Special Operations Command, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.

"He which hath no stomach to this fight let him depart. But we in it shall be remembered. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers!! For he today, that sheds his blood with me, shall always be my brother.” (W.Shakespeare) Rest in peace my Brothers, you have not been forgotten.

Monday, October 08, 2012

The Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

They died Oct. 6 in Chak district, Wardak Province, Afghanistan, of gunshot wounds suffered while on dismounted patrol.

Killed were:

Warrant Officer Joseph L. Schiro, 27, of Coral Springs, Fla., and

Staff Sgt. Justin C. Marquez, 25, of Aberdeen, N.C.

They were assigned to the 1st Special Forces Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg, N.C.

"He which hath no stomach to this fight let him depart. But we in it shall be remembered. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers!! For he today, that sheds his blood with me, shall always be my brother.” (W.Shakespeare) Rest in peace my Brothers, you have not been forgotten.

Thursday, October 04, 2012

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Sgt. 1st Class Aaron A. Henderson, 33, of Houlton, Maine, died Oct. 2, at Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit on Sept. 30 with an improvised explosive device in Zombalay Village, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Campbell, Ky.

"He which hath no stomach to this fight let him depart. But we in it shall be remembered. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers!! For he today, that sheds his blood with me, shall always be my brother.” (W.Shakespeare) Rest in peace my Brothers, you have not been forgotten.

Stephens was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg, N.C.

"He which hath no stomach to this fight let him depart. But we in it shall be remembered. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers!! For he today, that sheds his blood with me, shall always be my brother.” (W.Shakespeare) Rest in peace my Brothers, you have not been forgotten.

Thursday, September 27, 2012

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a sailor who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Gunners Mate 2nd Class Dion Rashun Roberts, 23, of North Chicago, Ill., died Sept. 22 as a result of a single vehicle accident in Jalalabad, Afghanistan. He was assigned to an East Coast Naval Special Warfare Unit.

"He which hath no stomach to this fight let him depart. But we in it shall be remembered. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers!! For he today, that sheds his blood with me, shall always be my brother.” (W.Shakespeare) Rest in peace my Brothers, you have not been forgotten.

Monday, September 17, 2012

Lance Corporal Mervyn McDonald was farewelled today in Perth, in a funeral service at St. Benedict’s Catholic Church, Applecross, followed by a private service at the Fremantle Cemetery.

Thirty-year-old Lance Corporal McDonald, from the 2nd Commando Regiment, was killed in a helicopter crash on 30 August 2012, while serving in Afghanistan with the Special Operations Task Group.

Lance Corporal McDonald’s family and friends were joined by his mates from the regiment to celebrate the life of the highly experienced and respected soldier.

Commanding Officer of the 2nd Commando Regiment, Lieutenant Colonel B, spoke of the energy and enthusiasm Lance Corporal McDonald brought to the regiment. He also spoke of the sense of duty that saw Lance Corporal McDonald serve on multiple deployments in his near 12 year Army career.

“Merv would have wanted to be remembered as a quiet, hard working, likeable bloke who got the job done no matter what it was. This was an understatement,” Lieutenant Colonel B said.

“Merv, your peers consider you to be one of the most professional members of your Company and of our Regiment.

“Despite the tempo of life, you were also known for making a point of stopping to literally smell the coffee. Your impact was wider than you could have ever imagined.”

Lance Corporal McDonald is survived by his fiancée Rachael, his mother Myrna and stepfather Bernie, and brothers Percy, Roger and Gary.

The funeral was attended by the Hon Julia Gillard MP, Prime Minister; the Hon Stephen Smith MP, Minister for Defence; the Hon Tony Abbott MP, Leader of the Opposition; Senator the Hon David Johnston, Shadow Minister for Defence; the Hon Gary Gray AO MP, Member for Brand; the Hon Colin Barnett MLA, Premier of Western Australia; General David Hurley AC DSC, Chief of the Defence Force; Lieutenant General David Morrison AO, Chief of Army and Major General Gus Gilmore AM DSC, Special Operations Commander Australia.

Monday, September 10, 2012

LONDON, Sept. 9, 2012 - During his 10-year journey to reach his first Paralympic Games, one U.S. athlete found opportunity where some would not, and now he says he wouldn't change the path that led him here.

Eric Hollen, a member of the 2012 Paralympic shooting team and a former U.S. Army Ranger, was injured while on a special operations mission. In a Sept. 6 interview, he told American Forces Press Service has no regrets.

"It was an awesome opportunity," he said. "When you suffer a catastrophic, life-changing injury like a lot of soldiers have, myself included, there's a time where that injury kind of defines you. Sports gives you an opportunity to shift gears from disability to ability, and that's what this sport has done for me. It's given me a chance to redefine myself."

In addition to changing his own path, Hollen said, his injury also changed his family's.

"Ten years into my injury, my daughter trains at the Olympic Training Center with me," he said. "She's a junior ski racer. She has an opportunity to do things that she would have never had if I hadn't gotten hurt. So now, at this point, I wouldn't trade the injury for the guy I was before I got hurt."

The former Army Ranger talked about his experience competing here and nothing compares to the pressures of Paralympic competition.

"Until I got here, I thought my special operations training would help take some of the edge off of this," Hollen said. "But there's no way to replicate the pressure when you shoot under here. It's very difficult to manage expectations and then be able to be still for two hours and shoot your shot process the way that you do at any other match."

Hollen said his focus usually is process-driven, and when he follows his training, he's usually able to execute to his full potential.

"You have to put process ahead of outcome, and usually I do that," he explained. "I manage that stress pretty well. The things that I do to shoot the shot accurately are ... not really using my active conscience. I'm in, kind of a quiet place, letting my unconscious effort do the work."

The process was really difficult to apply here, Hollen said, because the opportunity comes only once every four years. Preparing to compete here differs from loading up to go on a combat mission, he added. "This is much more 'You're the man,' going in all by yourself," he said. "You're just sitting out there trying to get still and do a good job."

Hollen said he believes his experience during these Paralympic Games will benefit him in the 2016 Paralympic Games, set to take place in Rio de Janeiro.

"So I'm thinking Rio won't be quite so hard," Hollen said. "I would say that my military training did help me, but the only thing that really helps you is being here, shooting and dealing with the stress."

Although he didn't earn a medal during his first Paralympics, Hollen said, he gave it his all and was excited to represent his country.

"I have the ability to shoot that well, [and] I shot every shot with max effort, but I wasn't able to get it done," he said. "[The experience] was good. I wouldn't trade the opportunity for anything. It's been a long [journey], and I'm just pleased to be here."

Hollen said he looks forward to passing his knowledge on to other U.S. athletes and showing them the benefits of sports to overcome their injuries and disabilities.

"[I'm] looking forward to any chance I have to mentor and help newly injured veterans get into sport -- whatever it is, whether it's shooting or something else," he said. "It's a great way to shift gears and get back on track."

Hollen expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to compete here.

"It was really great -- a great opportunity to represent my country -- [and] I'm very proud to be here," he said. "It took me 10 years to be here."

Special Warfare Operator Petty Officer 2nd Class David J. Warsen, 27, of Kentwood, Mich., assigned to a West Coast-based naval Special warfare unit.

"He which hath no stomach to this fight let him depart. But we in it shall be remembered. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers!! For he today, that sheds his blood with me, shall always be my brother.” (W.Shakespeare) Rest in peace my Brothers, you have not been forgotten.

This incident is under investigation. These Warriors were reportedly killed by Taliban infiltrators to the Afghan National Security Forces.

"He which hath no stomach to this fight let him depart. But we in it shall be remembered. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers!! For he today, that sheds his blood with me, shall always be my brother.” (W.Shakespeare) Rest in peace my Brothers, you have not been forgotten.

Thursday, August 16, 2012

There are thousands to millions of individuals that have devoted their lives to silently serving and sacrificing to keep this Nation safe. Having sacrificed their bodies, having given up holidays, birthdays, anniversaries, births, deaths, and graduations with their families to serve in the worst s***holes of the world, they've withheld from even those families, the valorous acts they've undertaken. They've lived the law of "need to know" even when their colleagues had the security clearance to hear. Video produced by Special Operations (OPSEC) Political Committee.

It should be no surprise that there's a burr under their saddles, when politicians put those lives at risk, to prove how smart they are. The video above spells out why pretty clearly. I encourage readers to not only watch the video but share the video with everyone they know. But, before I saw the video, I heard complaints about it, from supporters of the Politician leaking the information. Those supporters "couldn't understand" why this would be an issue. As such, I'll throw my own two cents in the ring:

During WWII, Winston Churchill received classified information that the Germans would bomb a particular city. He was faced with a dilemna. He could warn the town and save thousands of lives, but if he warned the town, the Germans would find out he had, and there was but one way the English could have gotten the information. The Allies had broken the highest level of encryption the Nazis had, and had become privy to the highest levels of communications, communications the Nazis were certain could not be broken. Because they did not believe it breakable, the de-cryption of it revealed information that eventually defeated Nazi Germany. Churchill could not warn those townspeople, because while it would have saved those thousands of lives, it would have cost hundreds of thousands or millions more lives in the war.

In 2001-2003, US Forces came close to killing or capturing Osama bin Laden numerous times. And every time they were getting close, some idiot on CNN would have to prove how smart he was. He would explain in detail, how he had figured out to within 100 miles of where OBL was. Bin Laden would stop doing those things, and the trail would go cold.

In 2011, we finally got bin Laden. There was likely a single individual that put those bullets in our #1 enemy's body, but he didn't do it alone, and it wasn't a politician. It was a team effort, by individuals that have devoted themselves so completely to defeating Our enemies, that few outside their families and colleagues even know they are anything more than "common SeALs," which are elite forces in their own right.

It wasn't the decisions of a single bureacrat or politician that led to the information for that operation. It was information gleaned from Gitmo detained terrorists, as well as ongoing NSA operations, as well as CIA operations, and probably a dozen more agencies we don't even know about. But there was a single Pakistani doctor singled out, because a politician wanted to prove to the world how smart he is. That doctor was providing vaccinations and provided the DNA proof that that was the right house. He should be living large, basking in the millions of dollars of reward money. Instead, he languishes in a Pakistani prison, because a politician in the White House wanted to prove how smart he is.

And it's not just that Doctor that has suffered. By revealing the means of how we found out, for certain, where ObL was, that politician also put in jeopardy all Doctors providing polio vaccinations in Pakistan. 250,000 kids cannot be vaccinated, because the Taliban are worried that those Doctors too will give the CIA their DNA. Doctors have been killed as a result. Doctors have been shot and beaten, because a politician wanted to prove how smart he is.

If the Silent Professionals can overcome the temptation to brag in the bar about their exploits, then that Politician that watched them in an air-conditioned office on the big screen should be able to keep his trap shut too. Even Diane Feinstein of California understands that, and she's a supporter of the Politician in Chief. There's a good reason why those that sacrifice take issue with the senior politicians of this country, and this is just one more example. In this case, he is risking their lives, as well as their ability to keep this Nation safe.

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

The Department of Defense announced today the deaths of three Marines who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

They died Aug. 10 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. These Marines were assigned to 1st Marine Special Operations Battalion, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

Killed were:

Capt. Matthew P. Manoukian, 29, of Los Altos Hills, Calif.,

Gunnery Sgt. Ryan Jeschke, 31, of Herndon, Va., and

Staff Sgt. Sky R. Mote, 27, of El Dorado, Calif.

This incident is under investigation. These Marines were reportedly shot by an Afghan National Police Officer, during a scheduled meeting.

"He which hath no stomach to this fight let him depart. But we in it shall be remembered. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers!! For he today, that sheds his blood with me, shall always be my brother.” (W.Shakespeare) Rest in peace my Brothers, you have not been forgotten.

Trent was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Bragg, N.C.

"He which hath no stomach to this fight let him depart. But we in it shall be remembered. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers!! For he today, that sheds his blood with me, shall always be my brother.” (W.Shakespeare) Rest in peace my Brothers, you have not been forgotten.

"He which hath no stomach to this fight let him depart. But we in it shall be remembered. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers!! For he today, that sheds his blood with me, shall always be my brother.” (W.Shakespeare) Rest in peace my Brothers, you have not been forgotten.

"He which hath no stomach to this fight let him depart. But we in it shall be remembered. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers!! For he today, that sheds his blood with me, shall always be my brother.” (W.Shakespeare) Rest in peace my Brothers, you have not been forgotten.

"He which hath no stomach to this fight let him depart. But we in it shall be remembered. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers!! For he today, that sheds his blood with me, shall always be my brother.” (W.Shakespeare) Rest in peace my Brothers, you have not been forgotten.

Wednesday, July 04, 2012

It is with deep regret that the Australian Defence Force announces the death of Sergeant Blaine Diddams who was killed during an engagement with insurgents on operations in Afghanistan on 2 July 2012.

Sergeant Diddams was a member of the Special Operations Task Group and was from the Perth-based Special Air Service Regiment (SASR). He was employed as a SASR Patrol Commander.

Sergeant Diddams is survived by his wife Toni-Ann, their daughter Elle-Lou and son Henry, his parents Peter and Cate, and siblings Nikki, Sian, Christian and Luke.

Sergeant Diddams was born in Canberra, ACT, in 1971. He enlisted in the Army on 24 April 1990 and after completing his initial employment training for infantry was posted to the 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment in Townsville, Queensland on 2 November 1990. Sergeant Diddams successfully completed his SASR selection course and was posted to the Regiment in 1995.

This was his seventh tour to Afghanistan since 2001, although he had deployed previously on four occasions to Somalia, East Timor and the Solomon Islands.

Sergeant Diddams, ‘Didds’ to his mates, was a devoted family man and a dedicated professional soldier. Known for his outwards personality and quirky sense of humour, he was held in the highest regard by his mates and comrades alike.

Sergeant Diddams has been awarded the following honours and awards:• Australian Active Service Medal with Clasp Somalia, Clasp East Timor, Clasp ICAT• International Forces East Timor (INTERFET) Medal• Afghanistan Campaign Medal• Australian Service Medal with Clasp Solomon Islands, Clasp ‘CT/SR’• Defence Long Service Medal• Australian Defence Medal• NATO ISAF Medal• Meritorious Unit Citation• Infantry Combat Badge, and• Returned from Active Service Badge.

Sunday, June 17, 2012

By MC3 James Ginther, CJSOTF-A, URUZGAN, Afghanistan (June 13, 2012) — Afghan Local Police eliminated 10 insurgents during a firefight near the village of Dahane Sangu in Khaz Uruzgan district, June 8.

The ALP members were ambushed at their checkpoint and repelled the insurgent attack without coalition assistance.

Reports indicate that an improvised explosive device specialist from the Kalahore Pass and insurgent commanders Mullah Latif and Mullah Sadullah Shafiq were among those killed by ALP defenders.

Abdul Samad, Sultan Mohammad Nawa’s ALP checkpoint commander, reported that his patrol had been in a firefight with insurgents for several hours.

Latif was the leader of an insurgent cell operating in Marghunday village inside the Sultan Mohammad Nawa valley, said a coalition representative. Latif’s death is a boon to the legitimacy of the Government and Afghan National Security Forces, especially the ALP. He added that Latif’s death will also ensure freedom of movement for the area’s residents.

“Every time we are able to eliminate or capture a senior (insurgent) leader, it’s a huge blow to their operations in the area,” said the coalition representative. “These villagers are no longer afraid to go about their daily lives. They can now go to the bazaar and send their children to school without fear.”

Samad also reported that two ALP members had been killed and one wounded during the firefight.

The coalition representative said the ALP have shown their determination and resiliency in the face of a substantial insurgent attacking force, resulting in a tactical victory with regional security implications.

The three-week ALP course trained more than 25 Afghan candidates in basic infantry tactics, police operations, human rights and laws of land warfare.

The purpose of the training is to bring in people from their own villages and teach them to secure their community against insurgent attacks, said the coalition detachment commander.

“The ALP are important because they provide a security force in remote areas where there is no Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) representation and the (recruits) have firsthand knowledge of their village, known insurgents and historical caches,” said the commander.

Saturday, June 02, 2012

KABUL, Afghanistan (June 2, 2012) — The International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) confirms the rescue of four civilians who were being held by insurgents in Northern Afghanistan during an early morning raid today.

Ms. Helen Johnston, Ms. Moragwa Oirere, and two Afghan civilians were kidnapped on May 22, 2012, in Badakhshan province, Afghanistan. Ms. Johnston and her colleagues are employees of Medair, a humanitarian non-governmental organization based near Lausanne, Switzerland.

“First, I would like to thank the Afghan Ministry of the Interior and Minister Mohammadi for their tremendous support throughout this crisis. Second, this morning’s mission, conducted by coalition forces, exemplifies our collective and unwavering commitment to defeat the Taliban,” said Gen. John R. Allen, commander, International Security Assistance Force. “I’m extremely grateful to the Afghan authorities and proud of the ISAF forces that planned, rehearsed, and successfully conducted this operation. Thanks to them, Ms. Helen Johnston, Ms. Moragwe Oirere, and their two co-workers will soon be rejoining their families and loved ones.” ISAF News.

Thursday, May 31, 2012

MSN has recently published the top 10 "charities" in America, based on "Charity Navigator" ratings. The ratings are based on how efficiently the organizations spend the donations entrusted to them. Simply put, the higher the percentage of donated dollars that go directly towards the mission statement of the organization, the higher the rating. Not surprisingly, the top rated Pro-Troop Non-Profits do not spend as large a percentage on advertising. Four of the top 10 overall were Pro-Troop Non-Profits, and their ratings are very close with less than 2 rating points separating them.

Number 10 on their list with a rating of 67.96 is the Injured Marine & Sailor Semper Fi Fund. War On Terror News readers are more likely than others to have heard of it, because we have supported the efforts of Jon Whitein support of it, for 4 years. This year, Jon is running the Marine Corp Marathon for the 5th time, and has done so with a team of runners each year. Some of them have run every year. Others have started their own teams. And some are running for their first year. He has run thousands of miles in training and hundreds of miles competitively in the MCM and other Marathons and half Marathons across multiple countries and continents, in and out of combat zones.

Afghanistan

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Delta Bravo Sierra

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For a few bucks more you can get a signed copy from the author himself! http://www.deltabravosierra.us/2011/02/10/a-word-about-the-new-book/comment-page-1/#comment-3383
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Profound Classics

Ace Of Spades: Why Language MattersIn this article, Ace of Spades demonstrates how the writing style of "journalists" and other writers is purposely used to influence the electorate. He explains this far better than I have been able to do, but this is the foundation of why I could no longer be silent.